Chair



Dec. 5, 1933. E. M. slMs 1-1- AL CHAIR Filed July 3l, 1930 M, um

Patented Dec. 5, 1933 Y l CHAIR Ernest M. Sims, Elkhart,l Ind., and Laban W. Harter, Niles, Mich., assignors to Artility Metal Products, Inc., Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application July 31, 1930. Serial No. 471,914 1 Claim. (Cl. 15S- 157) This invention relates to metal chairs and among other objects aims to provide a so-called posture chair which is easily adjustable to the needs of the user and is durable and pleasing in appearance.

The invention may be readily understood b reference to one construction embodying the invention and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

` In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a chair, the seat and a portion of the subjacent structure being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a rear sectional elevation of the seat and back structure, taken approximately on the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section, on somewhat enlarged scale, showing details of the j back adjusting structure.

The invention is here shown embodied in an office chair designed to effect a correct seated posture. Posture chairs, as this type of chair may be called for convenience, are designed to p effect a hygienic support of the back, and from the standpoint of appearance depart from the conventional chairs whose design is influenced more by considerations of appearance than hygiene. However, the illustrative chair while emu bodying the aforesaid hygienic features is nevertheless neat and attractive in appearance.

In the illustrative chair the back of the person using it is supported by a back support; 10 adjustable to such position as will correctly engage the user in the small of the back. The back support may be of any appropriate materials, in this case being made of wood covered with a padding or upholstering. The face of the back support is advantageously shaped to provide a concave curvature transversely, conforming generally to the curvature of the back, and also a vertical convex curvature for the same purpose. The back support is carried by a bracket 11 here shown bolted to the back face of the support and provided with ears or lugs 12 which engage opposite faces of the back member 13. Connection to the back member is effected by a bolt 14 passing through the ears and transversely through the post and tightened by a wing or thumb nut 15. The nut is tightcned to such a degree that the back support will remain in the position in which it is placed but will nevertheless leave the back support loose enough to adjust itself (by tilting) to the v persons back. Washersl 16 are preferably interposed between the ears or lugs 12 to minimize the tendency of rocking or tilting of the back support to loosen the nut 15.

'The back member which is here shown in the form of a hollow tube rectangular in cross secy tion, is adjustably supported in socket or clamp- 60 ing means 1'7 carried by the seat supporting structure and located below the level of the seat so as to be inconspicuous. Such means in this instance comprise a hollow sleeve 18 conforming I in section to that of the tube and provided with '65 a thumb clamping screw 19 which engages a clamping plate 20 interposed between the end of the screw and the tube; The back support may thus be adjusted vertically to the proper position merely by sliding the back member 13 in the appropriate direction in the sleeve 18 and clamping it in adjusted position with clamping screw 19. The plate 20 serves to apply the clamping pressure without marring the finish of the back member 13. ably bent or curved'as at 21 to allow the supporting socket to be placed closely adjacent the rear edge of the chair seat and yet permit The latter is prefer- 7l the main portion of the back member 13 to rise' y substantially vertically in the proper region, as 8 the ordinary chair back. The non-.circular section of the back member prevents twisting of the back support under any unequal pressures which the user may exert upon it.

The aforesaid socket is in the pivotally carried between a pair of arms 22 here shown integral with the seat supporting spider 23. The pivotal connection, in the present case provided by pivot pin 24 which passes1 present instance `8H through the supporting arms 22 and the spaced 90 webs 25 projecting from the socket, permits the back' and its back support 10 to be tilted forward or back to adjust the back support longitudinally of the seat, to suit the user. The

aforesaid adjustment is effected by hand screw '65 26 which is threaded through trunnion 27 rotatably carried between and adjacent the ends of spaced webs 25. The other end of the screw is seated in a trunnion 2 8 whose ends are u rotatably mounted in the arms 22. In this connectio'n the screw is advantageously reduced in diameter as at 29 to provide a shoulder resting against trunnion 28. The extremity of the, reduced portion 29 is riveted or otherwise upset as at 30 to prevent withdrawal from the trunf nion, without, however, interfering with the freedom of rotation of the hand screw. The adjustment of the back support may not only be easily made but easily changed.

The seat 31 which in this case comprises ai for ille

wooden sub-structure 32 provided with upholstering 33, is carried on the laterally projecting arms 34 of the spider 23 to which it is connected by bolts or screws 35.

The chair post 36 is shouldered at 37 and passes through the hub 38 of the spider. The Lipper end is connected thereto as at 39 by upsetting or welding.

Vertical adjustment of the chair seat (by raising or lowering the post relative to the chair base) is effected by any appropriate means such as that shown in our co-pending application Serial No. 453,488, and here illustrated lonly in outline. The chair base 40 may also be similar in construction to that shown in said co-pending application.

It is observed that the illustrative chair while embodying the obvious advantages such as durability, et cetra, inherent in metal construction and also the aforesaid hygienic features, never- Atheless presents a pleasing and neat appearance.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative embodiment herein described since these may be variously modied.

a hollow sheet metal back post carrying said back support, a pair of spaced arms integral with said seat structure and projecting to the rear thereof, a tubular socket for carrying said post and pivoted between said arms, said socket n having a web projecting forwardly between said arms, a clamp in said socket holding said post in adjusted position, said socket closely engaging said post to prevent distortion thereof under pressure of said clamp, and adjusting means engaging said web for rocking said socket about its pivot to eiect an adjustment of the back support.

ERNEST M. SIMS.

LABAN W. HARTER. 

